The Dragonlord's of Thane
by Ethersalad
Summary: An original story about a world wrought with beasts, men, Dragons, and Gods. Crossing the boundary of two influential families that will rend the world apart if someone cannot stop the killing. Venture forth into the world of Thane.
1. Character Page

**The Dragonlord's of Thane**

*Everything that's been underlined is in my book already

#People who will die

*Magic users

Royals-

_#Baldric Eron- Aged king._

_#Oric Eron- Prince of Thane/ Kills his father for the kingdom and power._

_#Niera Ormflight- Oric's unwilling queen/ Xandra's sister._

_#Aithen- Oric's devious son/ Leader of Dragonsbane._

Lords-

_Draykon- Legendary Dragon Master/ First to speak with the Dragon's._

_#Xandra Ormflight_- _Prime Dragonlord._

_*Derek Ormflight- Dragonlord._

_*Krin Mooren- Young son of Elric/ Dragonkeeper._

_Drake Mooren_- _Eldest son of Elric/ Dragonlord undergoing Dragon Mastery._

Wyrms-

_*Bane- Great Dragon of fire and flight/ Air Dragon/ RED._

_*Bale- Great Dragon of acid and earth/ Land Dragon/ GREEN._

_*Baul- Great Dragon of water and ice/ Sea Dragon/ BLUE._

_#*Sythe- Great Dragon of death, gifted with powers of darkfire, darkice, and venom/ Deep Dragon/ BLACK._

_*Morgan- The Drake of Bane, of flight strength and speed/ Air Dragoness/ WHITE._

_Frost- Renegade Ice Dragon/ BLUE._

_Quake- Guardian Dragon of the Moorshen Mountains._

Captains-

_#Bloodscar- Cramford's father._

_Cramford- Loyal General of Baldric's army._

_#Jeric Mooren- Captain of Baldrics army/ Captain of Dragonsbane._

_#Elric Mooren- Xandra's husband/ Baldrics advisor._

Seers/ Witches_-_

_*Darima Crow- Seer of outcomes/ Leader of the seers/ Advisor to Krin._

_*Darath Crow- Darima's sister/ Powerful enchantress._

_#*Ayrithain Crow- Enchantress who is jealous of her sisters, and betrays them to Oric._

_*Thia Crow- Young women of minimal talent/ Krin's wife._


	2. Prologue

**The Dragonlord's of Thane**

**Prologue-**

The corridors echoed in spite of his short halting gasps of air. Baldric coughed. The air was musty and stale. The walls were covered in spider webs as thick as reeds and stickier then any material he had ever seen. The darkness that surrounded him threatened to devour him, just as it had so many before him. Baldric shivered. He had known that he was walking the ominous corridors of The Tomb Of The Ancient Kings. His torch lit the way dimly, and he knew that he would have to leave soon or he would suffocate slowly, slipping into subconscious. The path he walked was covered in centuries of dust, that also had a certain slipperiness to it. If Baldric had been thinking straight, he would have realized how surreal this place was. It was to dismal to be real, but was more of a illusion then reality. Baldric didn't care, and didn't give it another thought. He walked and something nagged at his mind, his awareness of everything around him seemed to be waiting for something to happen. Paranoid didn't even come close to how Baldric felt. He had reason to fear this place, because of a curse that had haunted the hallways of the dead. The words came unbidden to his mind, making him frantic. Those who disturb the peace of the dead will suffer eternally, never quite dying, never to live again. The thought sent another involuntary shiver through his body.

A slight misty shadow passed over Baldrics torch. Everything felt even colder, so cold, he thought that death might even have warmed him up. As if in answer to his sarcastic wish, a cold hand touched his shoulder. The hand was a rotting, decayed thing, yet was less than substantial somehow. The Tomb Guardian had found him. Baldric didn't think twice about his decision for there was no time. Baldric ran, not for his life because he knew that even now he should be dead. He ran to save his soul from being stolen and from being fed to this monster of another age. A door blocked his way up ahead, and the ghoul was nearing him. He threw himself against the door and broke the plank that was locking it in place. Having no other real thing to use to lock the door again, Baldric blocked it with everything he could find. Surprisingly, the ghoul didn't seem interested in following him. For a guardian that killed everyone that dared to came into its gloomy pathways, it sure seemed reluctant to come into this particular room. Young Baldric decided to investigate the room further. There were old swords, shields on the walls, with what seemed to have been delicate and intricate tapestries of knights with their armor burning in the intense heat of a Dragon's deadly breath. Another portrayed a group of knights trying to anchor a particularly big Dragon to the ground, without success. Slowly turning around to look at everything he found golden ringlets and jewels of all kinds. This was obviously the tomb of some powerful and wealthy king. He found a well worn cloak covering something which turned out to be a throne of such grandeur that he was simply awed at its magnificence. Dumbfounded, Baldric stepped back and tripped on a ruffled rug, staggering into something hard. Turning around Baldric found something that was so out of place it screamed to his senses that it was wrong. It was a suit of armor that was dented and even torn in places. Fur lined the armor and some kind of material that he could not place. It was almost like scales, but they were too thick and strong for any living creature known to the young man, oddly enough, they looked polished, and upon touching the scales he found them flexible, but nowhere near delicate. Baldric looked above the worn armor and saw a sight never seen before. A man actually riding a Dragon, and it seemed that the Dragon was fine with it, almost calm. Even though it was impossible to tame one of the wild Dragon's as proposed in the artwork, its seemed almost natural. Humans and Dragon's side by side. It must be a wonderful thing to fly in the open sky, riding one of the most fearsome beasts known to man, and yet not fearing anything. Once again looking at the armor, he thought of a ridiculous idea that the scales might have once come from a Dragon. Laughing to himself he found that he was at peace in here, while just outside the room he had feared a Ghoul was going to rip out his soul and devour it. The laughter echoed and died almost as soon as it left his mouth. A stale taste filled his mouth as he looked upon a once unnoticed, fairly large leather bound book with gold script on it that Baldric couldn't make out. Taking the book in his hands he felt a great warmth fill his body.

Touching the Tome must have enraged the Guardian because he sifted himself into the room and glided straight towards Baldric. Hefting the tome in front of himself to ward off a attack, he found that none came. A bone chilling voice crept out of the nightmares mouth," I esnes eht doolb fo eht elbon esuoh dnuora uoy. Yam eht ecaep fo eht lanrete snogard wollof uoy llit eht dne fo ruoy syad." Not understanding what the Guardian had said, the young man did what any other man would do when faced with a horror that was expected to rend apart your soul. Baldric fainted.

Baldric awoke with his head hurting. Peering around he found that he was near the entrance. Figuring it was better than being dead, he didn't question the obvious. Why wasn't he dead? Why was he here? Baldric searched around for his belongings. He found his torch, a short yet dull knife, his cloak, and a large book bound in leather. It was the book from the room. Maybe it was because of the book that the guardian attacked him, and maybe it was the book that protected him. The throbbing in his head increased as he thought of these possibilities. There was a large, large bump on his head from when he had fallen. Walking unsteadily towards the opening, Baldric stumbled out into the painfully bright sunlight, and into the arms of forty Royal Guards. Taking the boy, the knights pushed and shoved their way to the leader of the group, a snarling, one eyed brute of a man said to have been in more battles then thrice his years. His face had a rugged look about it, like he had been away from anything remotely civilized for several ages. The man towered over the young boy, but even though he looked fierce, his eyes showed a great sadness that followed him in every battle, and forever afterwards. Caught by surprise the ugly knight grinned at him." So, we finally found you, eh? Think you could get away from d' Royal Guards of Thane did ya?" Baldric could almost taste his breath, the man was so close.

"I seemed to have for a moment," Baldric said arrogantly," and if it hadn't been for your son Cramford, then I'd have been able to go about my business as I wished. Now out of my way!" Standing there trying to look imposing failed miserably against the ugly knight who kept trying to hold back a chuckle. Seeing Baldric getting agitated at this only made the knight burst out laughing.

"Aye," The old knight finally managed to say," Tis good to see yerself again as well, me young arrogant Prince!"

That was many years ago, before Bendrik had died and left his son, Prince Baldric, The Empire of Thane.


	3. Chapter 01

**The Dragonlord's of Thane**

**Chapter 1- The Tome of Draykon**

"Out of my way", the old man managed to say," I'm perfectly fine". Hobbling over to the table, Baldric dropped the blanket that had kept him warm. Slightly stumbling he managed to push his way past a uncompromising royal guard.

"Sire, you're in no condition to be up and about. You only going to get sick again." Cramford was Baldrics personal guard since his father had passed away. Tall, heavy set, and just as bit as imposing as his father ever was, Cramford loomed over his beloved king. Baldric and Cramford had been friends at an early age. Baldric being the older of the two, was by far more adventurous. Running away to the woods to go camping, wondering around the mountains looking for hidden caves. Baldric had even found a lake once! Wondering around the villages below the castle Baldric was welcomed as one of their own, pointedly told that they would treat him as any other boy and not a royal. Boys will be boys, but it was safer for everyone if they knew there were still rules. Baldric had told him that if he ever wanted to come that he was more than welcome. Cramford, being ever afraid of danger had refused adamantly every time. Baldric had even made plans for the old tomb in the hills outside the city of Eron.

Looking through the old tome Baldric had found in the old tomb, he discovered a legend, about a man who was the greatest of warriors. He was by all rights a Lord among men. Said to be a direct servant of the Gods that are Forgotten, this man carried himself with great pride, and sorrow. No one could even comprehend what he had to do for he himself had no idea. This man who was soon to be a legend was named Draykon, Lord of the Skies. It was common back then for a knight, or a group of knights to go out into the world for their King or Queen and give them a tribute of great wealth. Some went in search of new land to conquer, some went and made himself hero to a town or city all in the name of his King. Others went to destroy the Beings of Devastation, for these monsters were named as such for that is what they did. They slaughtered the innocent, maliciously, unmercifully, and cruelly. They were many and fearsome. There were the chimeras, shape-shifting beings that could read your mind and transform itself into a nightmare from your very dreams! Ogres, huge and unnaturally strong. Their hides were as thick as any armor and only weapons that could pierce, stab, or skewer could kill it. that meant that bows, short swords, and spears were the choice weapons for taking down these monsters. Sparen, the bird like people who flew faster than arrows, had sight like the best of predators, and had claws like daggers. Deronzen, Hell Horses of Eternal Fire. These were a constant annoyance of all land dwellers. The are other monsters that roam the land, but are not as great nor as powerful as these.

Each one of these would be great tribute to anyone, and worth the greatest of thanks from any King or Queen. There was another beast that, if killed, would give you the rank of emperor instantly, for this was more than just Beings of Devastation, but beasts that are Lords among the world over. Sparen fly away when they see them coming. Chimeras tremble in fear of them. Ogres are the food of these monsters. Deronzen are said to have once been the servants for these creatures. The flying demons of the under realm, the reincarnation of death itself. The fearsome, Eternal Dragon's!

Now Draykon did something so impossible, he could do nothing but turn into a living legend. He went into a lair of one of the largest of these beasts, woke it up and stood there, as if waiting for something. The Dragon turned his head to this young upstart mortal and stared deep into his eyes. A normal man would have gone insane from Dragon induced fear. A normal man would have never have ventured into a Dragon's roost. A normal man would have at least been armed. And so it was that Draykon went into the roost of a huge Dragon, unarmed, and stood, without fear, staring impassively at a Dragon. Its told that the Dragon opened its mouth like it was going to spew its billowing flames, but instead gave off a sound that was much like music. The most feared creatures on Thane could sing! It reminded Draykon of fire and air, for it took on an almost physical form. Smiling, Draykon sang with it, joining the Dragon's voice in a ballad that seemed inhuman, yet natural in the sense that it blended with life itself. Its told that when a Dragon sings, it means that he's speaking to you. To talk to a Dragon is a rare gift, for they will eternally become your friend. Draykon climbed on the back of the Dragon and sang to the Dragon. And so it was that an army in the distance saw a man riding a red Dragon, flying through the air. This man was reputed to have been one of the greatest knights on Thane, yet was an outcast for he served no one king or queen. The warriors knew that even though he would never become an emperor to Thane, they knew he had become something much better. The first Dragonlord had risen from the ground and taken flight to a place that even Dragon's held sacred. The Air Dragon had taken Draykon to the Three Wyrms, or Great Dragon's. It's said that they had blessed him with gifts that would more than protect him. They gave him these gifts to serve the people of Thane.

Looking up at the person who had hid the book in his shadow, Baldric glared at Cramford. Cramford gave Baldric an uncompromising stare that left Baldric muttering to himself. Turning around to face the giant, Baldric stood to face his tormentor and boyhood friend.

"I don't need, nor want you standing over me as I read," Said Baldric putting on a plaintive face," Please leave me alone." Baldric stood there, expecting something, anything from the man, but all he did was stand there and stare at his king.

"Hhrrm. Well it seems that if you are able to whine and complain, you are well

enough to start ruling Thane again. That son of yours is starting to cripple the nearby villagers by the taxes, and those fat slobs that call themselves theocrats, if possible, have become even more persistent that a council should rule Thane, and not a king. Says it's too much responsibility for one person." Cramford turned his head and sighed," Even heard one of them talking about how any one of noble blood could be a king...even Narraseth".

That did it. Baldric started pacing across the room fuming at what he had heard. Narraseth! He couldn't even tie his shoes in the morning if it wasn't for his servants, and even then he forgets who they are! Hell, most of the nobles are only have that status because of marriage, or bribery. Merchants paying their way into blood status, then saying how pathetic the blood line has been lately! If it wasn't for himself, then most of the people here would be dead!. The Dragon's would have desolated the place many years ago.

Baldric had found a passage in the Tomb of Draykon on how he had tamed the Dragon's, and was now believed that only members of his bloodline could control them, let alone _talk_ to them! To do such a thing would bring more peace to the world then it has ever known since The Parting, a devastating time where man had rejected their God for the power of science. With the passing of the age of God, they lost their inborn magic. The clerics lost their healing powers and mages lost their often times destructive magic. It's said that the God was greatly angered by this and decided to punish his creations with the monstrous Dragon's. Without magic the people had almost no way of defending themselves against these magical titans of the sky, land, and water. Long battles were waged to keep the Dragon's at bay and for every army that went to war, only one or so small Dragon's could be killed. Scholars took various body parts for defensive and offensive purposes. One of the older scholars had been studying the heart of a Red Dragon, with nothing coming of his research. Holding the heart in his hand, he thought to the Dragon flying through the sky, and reigning fire down upon his enemies, when he smell smoke. there was fire everywhere, on the floor, the walls, the desk with all his research, and even on himself! Yet to the great surprise of the scholar, he felt no pain, barely any heat at all. It was later discovered that holding the heart of a Dragon would give you the same abilities that the Dragon had, like flying, breathing underwater, making earthquakes, freezing things and burning things.

The Dragonlord's of Thane were sworn never to kill Dragon's, so they would never grow in such great power that they could rule the continent, and didn't need to. Being a Dragon Master meant that the Dragon's would lend you their magic freely, so the deaths would be spared. Even though no Dragon masters had come of Draykon's line, the Dragonlord's had a great love and respect for the beasts, and the respect was returned to them from the Dragon's. Ah, the Dragonlord's, how exciting it must be to fly around on the back of a Dragon, going in search of lost treasures, monsters, villages, new landscape, and occasionally finding a Dragon's lair. This was something that Baldric had thought of often, while his emissaries dealt with annoying barons and dukes of different sections of Thane, but now was not the time to think of flying...later though...

Right now Narraseth and the other little puppets he commanded had to be taken care of else he would never get any sleep. Baldric pushed himself away from the desk with the tome on it and ordered Cramford out and to wait for him in his antechamber. Going to his closet Baldric wondered how to make the best impression, royal arrogance or that of a angered royal. Clenching the closets knob he knew nothing would work better than making Narraseth beg for forgiveness. Lips curling into a wicked smile he believed he could have the pathetic Bloodbastard being made an example to all those who thought that they were going to destroy everything he had worked for just for the sake of power. Laughing now he had his servant clothe him in his state robes with a chainmail suite over it. Strapping on a long sword and dirk, and his gauntlets with the insignia of his bloodline. and most important of all, his Helm of Sight. It was given as a token of friendship between the Dragonlord's and the kings of Thane. What was so special about this particular helm was that it was worn by the Dragon Master, Draykon. This helm was very special and an important part in history. With its magic, faded though it is, Baldric can see clear eyed and objects become much sharper then even they would have for even the best sighted youth.

Walking out of his personal bedchamber, Cramford took his place beside him. "What do you plan on doing about Narresath?" Looking down at his king who looked like he was going to battle, he left his thoughts drop as Baldric spoke.

" I plan to make the Bloodbastard into a public joke, as well as everyone else that thinks that they can take the throne from me," smiling, he started buffing his fingernails on his doublet" if he thinks that another of royal blood should rule, then we'll just have to check who else is royal, legitimately."

What Baldric meant to do was crush just about every so called noble in the court. Only those born of his bloodline could rule, and that meant that those who had bought their way in would go bankrupt, nobles that were married to Baldrics cousins would become only minor nobles, and the children of those whose mother was the ones with the royal blood will have much of their dowries taken away. Narresath was the son of Baldrics half sister and therefore granted the title of a greater noble, but because it was his half sister and not his half brother, Narresath could not take the throne, and by trying to do so was a threat of a insurrection, and hence treason against the current king. Baldric smiled to himself. _This will teach those self-righteous bastards that I'm still here, and am still taking care of my people_, he thought.

Sighing to himself, Baldric thought of days long past when everyone wanted him to be around them, when he could walk by and little children would smile at him, not because they were told to, not because they were laughing at his inability to act as king. No, they smiled because power meant nothing to him. The only thing Baldric wanted was for his people to be happy. That all changed when Oric was born. Baldric's mistress had died in child birth, her name forgotten to the people. Oric had always been adventurous, often causing trouble. Now Oric was a grown man, and had been leading the troops out fighting packs of Deronzen that had been seen on the outskirts of Lemooron, a quiet, small city that was built as a monument to the creatures that had first come to Thane. It's commonly said by the people of Lemooren, that the humans that live on Thane were decedents of beings that weren't human at all. They were said to be shorter, thinner, with long bodies, arms, and legs. Their ears and eyes were shaped differently, said to help them when they ran. These creatures were said to run as fast as horses, see better then hawks, and hear as well as Sparen. Hunters by nature, these nomads were supposedly very sophisticated, giving question to why they choose to be nomads, or why they left Thane. Whatever the case might be, they had vanished from Thane, and the humans were left here to live out the rest of their lives alone.

Baldric strolled into the throne room, acting for all the world as if he had yet to notice the man standing there, waiting patiently for his king to arrive. Baldric sat down on the throne, waving his hand for Cramford to stand at his side, silent and impassive. Baldric began to absentmindedly fiddle with his already gleaming royal pin and signet ring, proof of his place of office. The man waited patiently, obviously knowing his king was testing his nerves. He smiled up to his king, and clasped his hands behind his back. _Damn, _Baldric thought, _ Narraseth might have chosen someone with a more competent attitude to deal with me. This might very well be interesting indeed!_


End file.
